C 55 ] 

 PLATE XXV. 



SPHINX API-FORM IS. 



BEEHoRNETSPHINXi 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Antennae thickeft in the middle. Wings, -U'hen at reft, deflexedi 

 SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Wings tranfparent, with brown veins. Abdomen yellow, the firfl 

 and fourth divifion from the thorax dark, purpliili. Thorax brown, 

 with two yellow patches in front. Head yellow. Antenns dark brown, 

 L 1)2)1. Sy/f. Nati 



The Caterpillar of the Sphinx Api-formh is an internal feeder, and 

 found only by making an incifion into the innermoft fubfirance of the 

 Poplar, the only tree the female commonly deponts her Eggs on; it 

 is to us unknown, as is alfo the time of contmuing within the trunk 

 of the tree ; but in June, early in the morning, or in the evening, 

 the Chryfalis is feen iffuing through the bark, from a perforation in the 

 trunk, which the Caterpillar had formed previous to its change, gene- 

 rally to the depth of fix or eight inches, or more. Nature has 

 furniflied every fegment of the Chryfalis with a double row of iharp 

 teeth, or fpines, therev/ith it firmly attaches itfelf to the fides of the 

 cavity, and, by repeated exertions to break from its prifon, gradually 

 conies forth ; thus, when it hath extricated itfelf /rom the tree, and the 

 Chryfalis is fuppoited as in our Plate reprefented, the upper parts buril 

 afundpr with violence, and the infe6l rudies forth to enjoy " the tem- 

 perature of the fummer feafon/' It is rarely foui|^|xcept in tfiex. 



K " There 



